Establishment of joint fisheries corporation can potentially solve fishermen conflicts, says Sri Lankan MP

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress president and MP Rauff Hakeem on Sunday said formation of the Indo-Sri Lanka Fisheries Corporation could potentially solve the conflicts and issues faced by the two countries’ fishermen.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Hakeem, who was on a private visit to India, said Indian Union Muslim League president K.M. Kader Mohideen had mooted the establishment of the body when he met Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya recently.

Resource sharing

“It would be a cooperative initiative between both sides, thereby promoting joint ventures and sharing of fishing resources. It was a harmless idea mooted with good intentions. There were some rationales behind it. My party MPs will raise the proposal during the current Budget session and seek a reply from the Prime Minister,” Mr. Hakeem said.

If the idea was considered seriously and agreed upon by India and Sri Lanka, it could solve unnecessary conflicts and issues involving fishermen of both countries. He said the fishermen issue was long pending. Several attempts were made in the past to solve the issue diplomatically and bilaterally. But the attempts did not have a tangible outcome.

Mr. Hakeem said the Governments of India and Sri Lanka should work out a commonly agreeable formula by involving various stakeholders including fishermen of both countries and the Fisheries Ministries. The fishermen should be engaged to solicit their views on the proposal on forming the Indo-Sri Lanka Fisheries Corporation, he added.